Farmers are overwhelmingly optimistic.
They are also supervisors, salespeople, managers and prayer warriors.
Sixth-generation farmer Copeland Griswold, approaching his 84th birthday, is scheduled to retire. “I plan on resting a while,” shared Griswold. A lot of consideration has been put into this decision. The next four years are precisely planned out in preparation for that day. His retirement is planned for the year 2018.
That is four years from now. Four years serving as the chief executive officer of Griswold Farms, four more years of supervising, marketing, managing and praying.
Four more years of the sun, sweat, dirt and tears.
“I have been knocked down more than once,” shared Griswold.
Griswold, who was born in Alabama, started his agriculture career through the Future Farmers of America. His first 80-acre plot has increased yearly since then. It is currently 900 planted acres.
“I have tried making a living anyway I could,” continued Griswold. “I was even involved in an agriculture partnership at one time farming 6000 acres,” Griswold reflects on that experience with a shake of his head, “It was time to get out of that. I had seen the light.”
Deemed as the pioneer of Florida’s cotton industry, Griswold employs fulltime workers, seasonal part-time helpers and he has his sons. “My boys are farming with me,” shared Griswold. “I taught them how and expected them to work.”
Griswold and his wife of 63 years Winona Salter Griswold have four children: Marty, Lavon, Vicki and Paul. They have been blessed with 12 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. “My wife and I hit the floor running and haven’t looked back since.”
“It is difficult to find people who want to work,” he continued. Griswold certainly knows what demanding physical labor is. He also knows the physiological part of a career in farming.
“1974 and 1975 were hard back to back years for me,” Griswold humbly shared. “A tornado wiped out the barn and equipment. Then my soybean crop burnt up. I couldn’t tell my family.” Griswold’s voice breaks as he shares that it took him 10 years to repay and rebuild the financial damage those two years had caused.
Crops are always at the mercy of the weather. “No need worrying about the weather because you can’t do anything about it,” he says matter-of-factly.
This very year’s crops were placed in jeopardy due to the extensive rain fall between April and May. The flooding the Pensacola area suffered was significantly more than the rural northern farm area of Santa Rosa County received. However, it did extensive damage just the same, submerging fields and delaying planting. Area farmers grew concerned about adequate time to harvest their most important crops before the first frost of fall.
Numerous other factors also contributed to the apprehension famers had about this year’s crops. Their costly crop insurance comes with strict guidelines stipulating deadlines for planting.
Griswold spent his life doing more than tending his family farm. In the 1980s he was determined to rid the area of Boll Weevils. His vision and efforts led him to be the first Southeast Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation Chairman.
Next his foresight introduced conversation tillage during the mid-90s. This tilling practice influenced all of the Santa Rosa County Agriculture Community. To this day strip tillage is still used widely through the county.
Griswold is the recipient of many awards. A leader on numerous committees and boards, he continues to be a part of agribusiness affairs intended to benefit the farmer. His knowledge and passion for agriculture is respected country wide.
Very aware of the advances and changes technology brings into the lives of farmers, Griswold states, “All the new technology, I can’t keep up. It has left me standing still.”
Griswold who has battled cancer, diabetes, and a stroke does not surrender or even appear to be concerned with any trials coming his way. “I love to farm. I love agriculture. I love teaching about agriculture,” he says with a youthful spark in his eye. “But agriculture is not the most important thing to me.”
As he pauses and gazes across the fields of the Chumuckla Community where he built his home, reared his family and impacted the farming industry, came sincere words. He speaks with 84 years of experience and passion, “It is God, family and then agriculture.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Ready to rest a spell